Fruit-picker



(NaModeL) O. M; MARTZ & J. KEENER.

' FRUIT PIGKER.

No. 368,297. v Patented Aug. 16,1887.

mAa i W u PETERS. Phnmmnu n vw. \vasnin wm D. c.

UNITED STATES ATENT OFFICE.

OLIVER H. MARTZ AND JACOB KEENER, OF \VEST SALEM, OHIO.

FRUIT-PICKER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 368,297, dated August 16, 1887.

Application filed July 24, 1886. Serial No. 209,032. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, Omvnn M. MARTZ and Jacon KEENER, citizens of the United States, residing at \Vest Salem, in the county of \Vayne and State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Fruit-Pickers, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to devices for stripping fruit from the trees; and the object of our invention is to produce a fruit-picker which shall be capable of picking both large and small fruits at various heights, and also of conveying the picked fruit to the operators hand without possibility of injury.

\Vith the above purposes in view our invention consists in certain peculiar and novel features of construction and arrangement,as hereinafter described and claimed.

In order that our invention may be fully understood, we will proceed to describe it with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation of our improved fruit-picker.- Figs. 2 and 3 are perspective views of the picker-heads detached. Fig. 4 shows the rod-sections detached from each other. Fig. 5 is a transverse section through the picker head or frame, showing more clearly the connection with the conveyer.

In the said drawings, A designates the rod or pole for carrying the picker head or frame. This pole is composed of two sections, a a, the section a being longer than the section a, and fitting at its lower end into the upper end-of section a. The sections a a are of cane or other hollow wood, and the upper end of the lower section, a, is surrounded by a metal band or ferrule, a", as shown. The joint a thus formed is strengthened by a wire, a, one end of which is secured to the section a, while the other end is inserted removably into a hole, a, in the lower section, a.

B, Figs. 1, 2, and 5, designates the picker head or frame, which consists of a wire, I), bent into circular form, and having two ends, I) b, which are bent outward and extend through a a ferrule, b", said ferrule being soldered upon the ring 6 thus formed at its meeting ends. The ferrule b" embraces and strengthens the upper end of rod-section (0, while the ends I) b of the ring I) enter the upper end of said section a. The joint between the ring I) and the section a is strengthened by a wire, b one end of which is soldered to the ferrule b, and the opposite end of which is inserted removably in a hole, a", near the upper end of section a.

c designates a series of wires bent in V form, and embracing the ring I) at their lower ends, said lower ends of the wires 0 being soldered to the ring, as shown.

B, Fig. 3, designates a modified form of head-for picking cherries and other small fruit, (while the head B is for picking apples and other large fruit.) The head B has the ring b, with its ends I) Z) and ferrule b and also the wire I), as in the case of the head B; but in lieu of the Vshaped wires 0 the head B has a series of straight wires, 0, set close together, and soldered at their lower ends to the ring 0, as shown. These wires 0 are braced together by an additional ring, 0 above the ring I), and soldered to said wires, as shown.

1) designates the conveyer spout or sack, which is of any preferable textile fabric, and is tubular in form. The said tube is made in two sections, (1 (1, corresponding to the sections a a of rod A, and held upon said rod by rings a as shown. In the upper end of section (Z is sewed a ring, e, having open rings or hooks c, by which the tube is secured to the ring I) of the pickerhead. At its lower end the section (I carries a series of buttons, d, which enter a corresponding series of buttonholes, (1, in section (2, and thus secure the said sections together.

Thus it will be seen that we have produced a light and portable fruit-picker, which will gather fruit, either large or small, from any ordinary heights, and carry the same to the users hands without injury.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

The herein-described fruit-picker, comprising a picker-head having a horizontal ring, 6, and the vertical wire fingers affiXed to the ring, an inclined tubular socket, b", secured to the ring at one side, and having a fixed downwardly-projeeting hook, N, at its lower end, an inclined staff or handle fitted in the socket and having an aperture into which the free end of the hook takes, a horizontal ring, In testimony that we claim the-foregoing as e, arranged beneath the ring of 'the pickerour own we have hereto affixed our signatures head and of substantially the same diameter, in presence of two Witnesses.

and having the hooks e, engaging the said 5 ring I), an inclined sectional conducting-tube OLIVER M. MARTZ.

permanently secured at its upper end to the J ACOB KEENER.

' detachable ring 6, and the rings fitted over the staff or handle and secured to the conducting- Witnesses: tube, substantially as described, for the pur- F. E. BARNETT,

1c pose set forth.

D. J. GERHART. 

